Help finding classes in Kam Lau Fu system

Discussion in 'Kung Fu' started by KLAING, Jan 15, 2017.

  1. KLAING

    KLAING New Member

    Hello
    I have just joined the site and I am looking to find any classes in the system I used to train in after seemingly exhausting my search of the internet and listings in the north west of England. The system was known as Kam Lau Fu and run by Peter J Hitchen and Ivor Parry. Classes were all around the Wigan/Ashton In Makerfield.Billlinge/St Helens/Liverpool area and ran for a long time.

    My memory tells me that Peter and Ivor began training in the 70's to improve their northern soul dance techniques for attendance at the Wigan Casino. A Lad named Billy or William Sherritt also ran some of the classes. This is/was a system rather than a style and made use of the techniques of a number of styles with Ivor and Peter originally training in London with Shaolin teachers before coming back north and training in Lau Gar/Hung gar and western boxing. They also used to put on freestyle open competitons/tournaments in the area in the 80s/90s.

    The system had a big emphasis from the beginning on strong horse stances and conditioning of legs. We used 3 animal forms (Snake, Tiger and Crane in that order) as well as patterns like Ping Huen. We also trained with a number of weapons (staff (straight rattan), spear, broadsword and Kwan Dao).

    I have realised of late, after many years of concentrating on the more practical fitness/striking/fighting side, how much I actually miss the learning and mastery of traditional patterns and two person forms. I would love to find my old teachers but if not, anywhere still teaching this system.

    I do know that Peter is also a sports scientist and alongside his partner Michelle Jones, has published articles related to the performance of martial artists with both working at various universities. I can't however make contact with either of them.

    Any help in finding anybody with any knowledge on my search would be greatly appreciated:)

    EDIT: I am aware that somebody has made a similar enquiry in 2006 on the site but seemingly received no replies on the public forum itself.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 16, 2017
  2. Chimpcheng

    Chimpcheng Yup... Giant cow head... Supporter

    Hey KLAING, I tidied up your post a little to make it a bit easier to read.

    Anyway, I'm assuming that you've tried all the usual social media outlets and have had no luck in finding any of the people you've mentioned? I did a quick Google search on the name of the style (which is a new one on me) and I come up with nothing useful, apart from the MAP thread you mentioned and a Google+ message asking the same thing, that went without reply...

    Do you recall the names of any of your fellow students? Granted, there may be hundreds of people with the same names, but it could be worth a shot.

    Good luck though.
     
  3. dtaulty

    dtaulty New Member

    Peter Hitchen

    Hi there, I also went to Kam lau fu and was taught by Peter at around 1986 to about 1991/2 in the Junior squad.

    I did make friends with Peter and Billy on Facebook. As far as I'm aware Peter now lives in a different part of the country.
    Billy was only just starting to teach when I was there, nice guy(seem to recall taking my black belt grading the same day as him).
    Don't know if either of them still train or if the kam lau fu system still exists but I do remember it fondly but kind of lost interest after I got my black belt (I was about 16 at the time so other things started to steal my interest...beer and ladies mainly :eek:))

    If you let me know I can ask if you want me to pass on your details OR you could just search on facebook for them and send a friend request.

    BTW, was you in the adults or Junior squad and what years, I don't recognise your name...

    Hope that helps
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2017
  4. KLAING

    KLAING New Member

    Hello
    Glad to hear from you. I have tried to find both Peter and Billy on facebook but can't seem to find either. I have in the past couple of weeks found Peter on Twitter and tried to send him a message but Twitter tells me I can't do this unless I am a contact already or something. I have never used Twitter before and not really sure what I am doing to be honest.

    From this, I gather that like you said, Peter is living in a different part of the country now - very far south without mentioning the city/town due to Michelle's job and so he will defo not be running any classes I could get to. Billy may be another matter however. If you get an opportunity, I would appreciate the correct spelling of Billy's name OR if you could message him on facebook and ask if he knows of any continued classes.

    I was in the adult squad but later than you by the dates you have included. I believe I started not too long after you finished. There was another lad who was a friend of Billy's who came and trained with us after not training for a while who you may have known. His name was Paul from memory and he lost an eye or was blinded in one eye after an accident. Again like everybody I met practicing the system he was a really nice lad.

    I would really like to get back to practicing the forms I learnt to tell you the truth as i really enjoyed them. I have done various other martial arts since and developed my fighting in other ways. I would like the discipline however of re learning the forms and patterns. I would be as happy if Billy or Peter had some old videos or other resources that would allow me to rekindle this side.

    Out of interest, what do you practice now?
     
  5. Andrew roscoe

    Andrew roscoe New Member

    Hi I was one of the founder Instructors of kam lau fu me Ivor Peter mark Webster and Tony Roscoe originally the club was nam pai chuan and our chief instructor was master Chris lau from London they had a comp in 86 in cheetam hill manchester which I won most categories peter refused take part in the black belt demo and was kicked out of the club ivor followed him and me mark Tony joined them in forming kam lau fu look for shaolin dragons on face book pm me and I'll give you Billys contact kam lau fu no longer exists
    Andy roscoe
     
  6. Andrew roscoe

    Andrew roscoe New Member

    Dave taulty think I was on your grading panel
     

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